Ski binding

ABSTRACT

A ski binding includes a first member pivotally mounted on a base plate but normally locked in a rest position by means of a manually operable catch. A second member supporting a bootengaging jaw is connected to the first member by means including a rod extending through central recesses of the two members, the two members having facing bearing surfaces with complementary cross-shaped profiles. A nut on the rod cooperates with a socket on the first member to form a ball-and-socket joint, and a spring urges the second member relative to the rod to hold the second member against the first member, the complementary profiles coacting to hold the second member and jaw in a rest position but allowing release by raising or sideward displacement of the jaw and second member against the action of the spring. By releasing the catch, the jaw and second and first members can be pivoted together to a raised position for voluntary release or for insertion of a boot.

United States Patent [1 1 Lacroix SKI BINDING [76] Inventor: Daniel Lacroix, 39220 Les Rousses,

France 22 Filed: July 31,1973 21 Appl. No.: 384,178

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 21, 1972 France 72.29785 [52] US. Cl. 280/11.35 T [51] Int. Cl. A63c 9/082 [58] Field of Search 280/11.35 T

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,490,783 1/1970 Shimizu 280/1 1.35 T 3,580,597 5/1971 Beyl 280/11.35 T

Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Robert E. Burns; Emmanuel J. Lobato; Bruce L. Adams Jan.7,1975

[57] ABSTRACT A ski binding includes a first member pivotally mounted on a base plate but normally locked in a rest position by means of a manually operable catch. A secondrnernber supporting a boot eng tg ingjaw is connected to the first member by means including a rod extending through central recesses of the two members, the two members having facing bearing surfaces with complementary cross-shaped profiles. A nut on the rod cooperates with a socket on the first member to form a ball-and-socket joint, and a spring urges the second member relative to the rod to hold the second member against the first member, the complementary profiles coacting to hold the second member and jaw in a rest position but allowing release by raising or sideward displacement of the jaw and second member against the action of the spring. By releasing the catch, the jaw and second and first members can be pivoted together to a raised position for voluntary release or for insertion of a boot.

8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN 71975 SHEET 2 OF 3 SKI BINDING The present invention relates to safety ski bindings.

It has already been proposed to provide rear or heel type safety ski bindings with a release mechanism providing for pivoting of a boot-holding jaw either universally or about distinct horizontal and vertical axes relative to the ski surface, thus enabling release of a boot in the event of both forward and sideward falls.

However, known bindings of this type generally involve drawbacks such as complexity and hence high cost, inadequate correlation between the efforts required for forward and sideward falls, and a liability to seize up.

An object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple and efficient safety ski binding which enables release in the event of lateral or raising efforts on a boot holding member.

According to the invention there is provided, in a safety ski binding, a security release mechanism comprising a first member having a first bearing surface and a first recess opening through said first bearing surface, a second member having a second bearing surface and a second recess opening through said second bearing surface, and means for connecting said first and second members together with said first and second surfaces facing one another. Said connecting means include a rod extending through the first and second recesses, means for pivotally connecting said rod to said first member, and spring means for urging said second member relative to said rod towards said first member to hold said first and second bearing surfaces together.

The first and second bearing surfaces have complementary profiles coacting together under the action of said spring means for holding said second member in a rest position relative to said first member and for opposing movement of said second member relative to said first member away from said rest position.

An embodiment of a ski binding according to the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the binding mounted on a ski;

FIG. 1a is a schematic side elevational view of the binding in an open position during a forward fall;

FIG. lb is a schematic side elevational view of the binding in an open position for insertion or voluntary removal of a boot;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view corresponding to FIG. 1;

FIG. 2a is a schematic top plan view corresponding to FIG. 1a, showing the possible lateral displacements in the event of a sideward fall;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the principal members of the binding;

FIGS. 4a, 4b, 40, show the complementary profiles on the bearing surfaces; and

FIG. 5 is view of a detail seen in cross-section taken along line V-V of FIG. 3.

The heel-type safety ski binding shown is carried by a plate 1 fixed at its rear part onto a ski for example by means of a rack 12 enabling it to be adapted to the boot by known means schematically indicated by numerals l3 and 14, and at its central part by two slide pieces 15 and 15a screwed onto the ski. The plate 1 includes on its lateral edges two perpendicular flanges 11 and 11a forming a U-shaped section which supports two spaced-apart transverse shafts l0 and 31.

On the front shaft 10 is pivotally mounted the main body of the binding. This main body includes a rear part 2 and a central part 4 in which is located a slide 5 to which a stirrup 52 is fixed, the said stirrup 52 carrying a screw 54 which supports a jaw 53 cooperating with a boot heel.

On the rear shaft 31 is pivotally mounted a catch 3 cooperating with the rear part 2; this catch 3 enables locking of the binding by engagement in notches 26 provided on the rear face of the rear part 2 (FIG. 1), in which position it is firmly held by the action of a spring 35 disposed in a bottom 34 of the said catch 3.

The rear part 2 has a bearing surface 21 and lateral arms 27, 28 through which the shaft 10 passes.

In the locked position shown in FIG. 1, the bearing surface 21 is generally perpendicular to the plane of the ski and includes a profile in the shape of a cross with arms of triangular cross-section, these arms being perpendicular and parallel to the said plane. FIG. 4 shows in detail this profile, formed by horizontal arms 22, 24 and vertical arms 23, 25.

The central part 4 of the main articulated body is shown in detail in FIG. 3. It is formed by a hollow cylinder closed at its rear end by bearing surfaces 41 having cross-shaped grooves 42, 43, 44, 45 with a profile which is exactly complementary to that of the bearing surface 21 of part 2, so that the said profiles of the two bearing surfaces 21, 41 can interengage in one another in the rest position (FIG. 1) under the pressure of a spring 7 held by a rod 6.

The spring 7 is disposed concentric to the said rod 6 and is compressed between a head 61 of rod 6 and the bottom of a cylindrical recess 46 inside the central part 4, i.e., on the face of said wall opposite to surface 41. The rod 6 passes through central openings in the hearing surfaces 21, 41 and has a threaded portion 62 extending through part 2. A nut 9 with a ball or cap-lke surface 91 is screwed on the threaded part 62 of rod 6. The application face 91 of the said nut 9 is received in a corresponding recess in the part 2 in a manner to form a ball-and-socket joint enabling pivoting of the rod 6 and the part 4 accompanied by a co-action of the bearing surfaces 21, 41 which are moved out of their interengaging rest position, against the action of spring 7 On the upper wall of the central part 4 is located a threaded bore 47 receiving a screw 48 which limits the path of slide 5. The slide 5 is slidably mounted in the cylindrical recess 46 of the central part 4, and includes an oblong slot 51 in which the end of screw 48 penetrates to limit the path of the said slide 5 along the said slot 51, and to hold the stirrup 52 in a vertical position in relation to the plane of the ski.

The slide 5 is pushed outwardly from the free end of part 4 by a spring 8, disposed concentrically about spring 7, inside the cylindrical recess 46 within the central part 4, and has, for example, a hexagonal longitudinal bore (FIG. 5) slidably receiving the hexagonal head 61 of the rod 6 to prevent it from turning during adjustment.

The purpose of the limited sliding movement of the said slide 5 is to absorb deformations of the ski during passages over hollows, and to avoid lamination of fibres which is liable to occur in the long run with modern rigid-soled boots.

The stirrup 52 is fixed to slide 5, and comprises a jaw 53 the height of which can be adjusted by means of screw 54 in a manner to embrace the boot heel (not shown) between the said jaw 53 and pedal 55 of stirrup 52. The stirrup 52 includes a vertical part 56 against which is applied, for all degrees of adjustment, the rear face 57 of jaw 53, so that the said jaw cannot pivot in the event of an abnormal force, otherwise than by the displacement of part 4 relative to part 2 about the bearing surfaces 21, 41 by pivoting of rod 6 and body 4 about the ball-and-socket joint.

The stirrup 52 is welded to the slide 5 and is received in a mortise 49 provided in the central part 4. The dimensions of the said mortise 49 do not allow the stirrup to pivot about a horizontal axis, but allow to-and fro movement of the stirrup 52 with slide 5.

The described safety heel binding operates in the following manner, it being understood that a fixed, nonarticulated stop is fixed on the ski to enable the support of the boot toe.

In the case of a forward fall, an upward pressure is exerted under the jaw 53. Under the effect of this pressure, the central part 4 of the binding, pressed against the rear part 2 by the intermediary of the rod 6 and spring 7, lifts up and pivots about the ball-and-socket joint with a relative movement of the bearing surfaces 21, 41 (FIG. 1a). As long as the boot sole has not been freed from the jaw 53, and if the applied force is insufficient to overcome the action of spring 7, the resistance of which increases in proportion to the displacement, the boot is replaced onto the ski. This is often referred to as elastic play.

If the applied force is sufficient to overcome the resistance of spring 7, the boot is freed from the jaw 53. Under the action of spring 7, the central part 4 instantaneously returns to its initial position due to the coaction of the complementary profiles.

In the case of a lateral fall, the operation is the analogous but pivoting about the ball-and-socket joint and displacement of the bearing surfaces 21, 41 take place laterally (FIG. 2a).

If the central body 4 is of square or circular (as shown) cross-section in the region of the bearing surfaces 21, 41, opening can take place in three directions: upwards and to the right and left, with an equal releasing effort in the three directions, providing of course that the four arms of the cross-shaped profile all have the same shape.

By making the length of the horizontal arms 22, 24 different to that of the vertical arms 23, 25 (and those of the complementary grooves 42, 44 and 43, 45), it is possible to predetermine the ratio of efficiency of the safety mechanism that there should be for different forward or lateral falls. Thus, if the central body 4 is of oval cross-section in the region of the bearing surfaces 21, 41, opening also takes place in three directions but the resistance to opening varies according to the direction.

To voluntarily remove a boot, it suffices to press using a stick on the button 34 of catch 3 in a manner to make the latter move out of notch 26, thus freeing the rear part 2 which can pivot about the shaft with the principal body of the binding. The boot can thus be removed without effort. The principal mobile body is releasably held in the opened position (FIG. 1b) by the pressure of catch 2 due to the action of spring 35 on the arms 27, 28 of the rear part 2. To insert a boot it therefore suffices to engage the boot heel between the jaw 53 and pedal 55 and abruptly press down against the ski. The main mobile body is thus returned to the position of FIG. 1 and the catch 3, urged by the spring 35, engages in the notches 26 and locks the said mobile body in the closed" position.

In order to provide different releasing efforts for latera] and forward falls, it would be possible to provide cross-shaped profiles with arms of the same length but different cross-sectional shape. Another possibility is to provide complementary profiles with horizontal branches of an assymetric shape such as to lightly hold the jaw and main body in a raised position following a forward fall, and vertical branches of a shape such as to always automatically return the binding to its initial position after lateral release.

A simplified form of the release mechanism (notably without 5 spring-urged slide holding the jaw, and with the part 2 fixed instead of being pivoted) could be incorporated in a toe binding.

Of course, it is possible to make various other modifcations and variations without departing from the scope of the invention notably by changing the shape of the bearing surfaces by the substitution of a pyramid, a truncated cone or truncated spherical dome, for the positioning cross.

What is claimed is:

1. In a safety ski binding, a security release mechanism comprising a first member having a first bearing surface; means defining a first recess in said first member, said first recess opening through said first bearing surface; a second member having a second bearing surface; means defining a second recess in said second member, said second recess opening through said second bearing surface; means for connecting said first and second members together with said first and second surfaces facing one another, said connecting means including a rod extending through said first and second recesses, means for pivotally connecting said rod to said first member, and spring means for urging said second member relative to said rod towards said first member to hold said first and second bearing surfacs together; and means defining on said first and second bearing surfaces complementary profiles coacting together under the action of said spring means for holding said second member in a rest position relative to said first member and for opposing movement of said second member relative to said first member away from said rest position.

2. A binding according to claim 1, in which said second member includes a free end opposite to said second bearing surface, said second recess extending from said bearing surface towards said free end and defining a longitudinal direction of said rod, and further comprising a boot-sole engaging jaw, means for mounting said jaw on said free end of said second member for a limited sliding movement along the longitudinal direc' tion of said rod, and second spring means for urging said jaw in said longitudinal direction outwardly from said second end.

3. A binding according to claim 2, comprising a base plate, means for pivotally mounting said first member on said base plate about an axis parallel to the plane of said base plate, and means for selectively holding said first member in first and second position relative to said base plate, in which first position said first bearing surface is perpendicular to the plane of said base plate, and in which second position said first bearing surface is inclined in relation to the plan of said base plate.

4. A binding according to claim 1, in which said connecting means includes means for universally pivotally connecting said rod to said first member.

5. A binding according to claim 4, in which said rod has a screw threaded portion extending through said first recess in said first member, said connecting means including a nut screwably engaged on said threaded portion of said rod, said nut including a ball-shaped bearing surface and said first member including a sur face defining a socket cooperating with said ballshaped bearing surface to form a ball-and-socket joint.

6. A binding according to claim 3, in which said connecting means includes means for universally pivotally connecting said rod to said first member, and in which said complementary profiles on said first and second bearing surfaces consist of a cross having protruding arms of trianglar cross-section on one of said first and second bearing surfaces and a complementary cross having recessed arms of triangular cross-section on the other of said first and second bearing surfaces, said crosses being centered about the respective openings of said first and second recesses with the arms of said crosses disposed parallel to and orthogonal to said axis of pivoting of said first member on said base plate.

7. A binding according to claim 6, in which the arms of said crosses all have the same shape and dimensions, whereby movements of said second member by pivoting of said rod about axes perpendicular to and parallel to said plane of said plate are accompanied by like resistive forces for like vertical and horizontal displacements of said jaw relative to said plate.

8. A binding according to claim 3, in which said means for selectively holding said first member comprise a leverpivotally mounted on said base plate, a spring urging said lever in a first direction into abutment with said first member, said lever lockably engaging with said first member under the action of said spring when said first member is in its first position and releasably holding said first member under the action of said spring when said first member is in its second position, and means for manually moving said lever against the action of said spring out of locking engagement with said first member in said first position. 

1. In a safety ski binding, a security release mechanism comprising a first member having a first bearing surface; means defining a first recess in said first member, said first recess opening through said first bearing surface; a second member having a second bearing surface; means defining a second recess in said second member, said second recess opening through said second bearing surface; means for connecting said first and second members together with said first and second surfaces facing one another, said connecting means including a rod extending through said first and second recesses, means for pivotally connecting said rod to said first member, and spring means for urging said second member relative to said rod towards said first member to hold said first and second bearing surfacs together; and means defining on said first and second bearing surfaces complementary profiles coacting together under the action of said spring means for holding said second member in a rest position relative to said first member and for opposing movement of said second member relative to said first member away from said rest position.
 2. A binding according to claim 1, in which said second member includes a free end opposite to said second bearing surface, said second recess extending from said bearing surface towards said free end and defining a longitudinal direction of said rod, and further comprising a boot-sole engaging jaw, means for mounting said jaw on said free end of said second member for a limited sliding movement along the longitudinal direction of said rod, and second spring means for urging said jaw in said longitudinal direction outwardly from said second end.
 3. A binding according to claim 2, comprising a base plate, means for pivotally mounting said first member on said base plate about an axis parallel to the plane of said base plate, and means for selectively holding said first member in first and second position relative to said base plate, in which first position said first bearing surface is perpendicular to the plane of said base plate, and in which second position said first bearing surface is inclined in relation to the plan of said base plate.
 4. A binding according to claim 1, in which said connecting means includes means for universally pivotally connecting said rod to said first member.
 5. A binding according to claim 4, in which said rod has a screw threaded portion extending through said first recess in said first member, said connecting means including a nut screwably engaged on said threaded portion of said rod, said nut including a ball-shaped bearing surface and said first member including a surface defining a socket cooperating with said ball-shaped bearing surface to form a ball-and-socket joint.
 6. A binding according to claim 3, in which said connecting means includes means for universally pivotally connecting said rod to said first member, and in which said complementary profiles on said first and second bearing surfaces consist of a cross having protruding arms of trianglar cross-section on one of said first and second bearing surfaces And a complementary cross having recessed arms of triangular cross-section on the other of said first and second bearing surfaces, said crosses being centered about the respective openings of said first and second recesses with the arms of said crosses disposed parallel to and orthogonal to said axis of pivoting of said first member on said base plate.
 7. A binding according to claim 6, in which the arms of said crosses all have the same shape and dimensions, whereby movements of said second member by pivoting of said rod about axes perpendicular to and parallel to said plane of said plate are accompanied by like resistive forces for like vertical and horizontal displacements of said jaw relative to said plate.
 8. A binding according to claim 3, in which said means for selectively holding said first member comprise a lever pivotally mounted on said base plate, a spring urging said lever in a first direction into abutment with said first member, said lever lockably engaging with said first member under the action of said spring when said first member is in its first position and releasably holding said first member under the action of said spring when said first member is in its second position, and means for manually moving said lever against the action of said spring out of locking engagement with said first member in said first position. 